The Virus that Cures

The following documentary, entitled The Virus that Cures, was produced in 1997 by the BBC for the Horizon series. The 49-minute video illustrates some aspects related to phage therapy, or the use of bacteriophages (i.e., bacterial viruses) to treat bacterial infections. Phage therapy was practiced in the Soviet Union and it is still in use in some countries such as Georgia. The video allows us to listen to researchers from the Institute of Bacteriophage at Tbilisi, Georgia (full name: George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology). It is frustrating to see that this technology is still awaiting a definite approval, or disapproval, by Western scientists and health regulatory agencies. Let's see if the (few) ongoing clinical trials will settle the question and, hopefully, powerful phage therapies will soon arrive to help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.



A collection of links related to phage therapy:

• Phage therapy, Wikipedia.
• Viruses vs. Superbugs, excellent site created for a science book on phage therapy. The site contains several pages with up-to-date information, including related literature, commented links, and news on phage therapy.
• George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology, Georgian Academy of Sciences.
• Amazing Phage, a site containing many links and information on phage therapy, including a report on The Health Value of Bacteriophages.
• Treating Alzheimer's - through the nose, Israel21c (Sept. 2007). Treating Alzheimer with phages?
• Viruses Versus Bacteria, Sciencebase (Jan. 2007).
• Fighting bacterial infections with viruses, SciScoop (May 2006).
• Stalin's Forgotten Cure, Science (Oct. 2002). Full text available at Stalin's Forgotten Cure, Phage International.
• Viruses that slay bacteria draw new interest, Science News (June 2000).